A shake-up of health services in Shropshire could see more seriously ill and injured patients receiving emergency treatment at one hospital.

Health bosses are to examine potential changes to hospital services over the next five years and beyond.

A new report was published today based on work led by senior doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals to look at options which would improve clinical care.

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However doctors have expressed concerns over possible cuts at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.

Under one option an accident & emergency department would remain at both the PRH and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. But emergency surgery and A&E care for the most seriously injured would only be provided at one of the hospitals.

The proposals will be considered by NHS Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire County PCT and the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust next week.

In a statement they said: “Patients across the country are benefiting through increasing medical specialisation – for example senior doctors and surgeons’ skills are increasingly focused on specialist branches.

“This leads to very high standards of care, but makes it difficult to provide all types of expertise at both the RSH and PRH round the clock, especially for seriously-ill patients needing urgent care, and ensuring that those specialist clinical staff will continue to treat a wide enough range of patients to maintain the highest level of skill.

“Emergency surgery and A&E care for the most seriously injured would therefore be provided at either RSH or PRH under these proposals.

“The other hospital would offer A&E dealing with most medical emergencies and trauma, but not multiple trauma.”

Board members at next week’s meetings will be taking an initial look at the information from the technical, social and financial assessments now completed on the options for locating certain services.

The health staff, working with local authorities, community organisations and patient and public representatives, had recommended the majority of services at the two hospitals could and should remain there in the medium term. But they said a small number of services – especially for the seriously ill – should be concentrated at one hospital.

The report also outlines the feasibility for a single-site hospital in the longer term, to 2020 and beyond.

Dr Paul Spencer, from Dawley Medical Practice, said: “I well remember the tremendous battle that the people of Telford had to go through in order to get their Princess Royal Hospital.

“Since we have got it in Telford we have continued to battle to keep the services.

“It’s a shame that we have had to work so hard to get it and to keep the services.”

Dr Nick Tindall, from Wellington Road Surgery in Newport, said: “I want the best possible services for my patients. I’m aware there’s a big difficulty with the hospitals but of course we would like our services to be quality and closer to home.

“The quality of the services is very important.”

By Lisa Rowley